Striking security surge in West Bengal ahead of elections as Mamata-led state reinforced with 920 CAPF Companies
The initial deployment of 100 CAPF companies, effective from Friday (Mar 1), focuses on area dominance, confidence-building measures, and overall security for the electoral process.
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Kolkata, Mar 1: In a strategic move aimed at ensuring free, fair, and peaceful parliamentary elections in West Bengal, the Centre has initiated the deployment of 100 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces ( CAPF ) in the first phase. An additional 820 companies are scheduled for gradual relocation in separate phases, following a request from the Election Commission for a maximum deployment of 920 CAPF companies in the state.
The initial deployment of 100 CAPF companies, effective from Friday (Mar 1), focuses on area dominance, confidence-building measures, and overall security for the electoral process. Comprising 20 units from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 50 from the Border Security Force (BSF), and 10 each from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP), and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), these forces are set to fortify the election landscape.
100 company CAPF to be arrived in Bengal on 1st March👍
— Bong Political Guru ☀️(Modi ka Parivar) (@bong_politics) February 25, 2024
PM Modi will start his campaign for loksabha election 2024 from Bengal this time on 2nd March 🚩 pic.twitter.com/O82Uhb9DLG
The second phase, scheduled to commence on March 7, will witness the relocation of an additional 50 CAPF companies to West Bengal. In addition to these developments, sources reveal plans to deploy a substantial total of 3,300 additional companies (equivalent to 3.30 lakh personnel) of the CAPF during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and concurrent assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will make decisions on deploying these additional CAPF units based on proposals submitted by the Election Commission. The EC's request, seeking the phased deployment of around 3,400 companies (equivalent to 3.40 lakh personnel) across all states and Union Territories, aims to ensure the conduct of free, fair, and secure elections. The CAPFs will play a crucial role in various election-related duties, including area dominance, confidence-building measures, poll day-related tasks, safeguarding of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), securing strong room centers, and providing security during the counting process. Officials have indicated that the CAPFs will be strategically distributed and retained at different intervals to optimize their effectiveness.
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